Darjeeling Tea
India's first GI — the 'champagne of teas', grown only on the misty slopes of Darjeeling and prized worldwide for its muscatel flavour.
- Origin state
- West Bengal
- Region
- East
- Category
- Agriculture
- GI registered
- 2004
Why it matters for global buyers
Darjeeling Tea was India's very first registered Geographical Indication and remains one of the most tightly protected — only tea grown on designated estates in the Darjeeling hills may carry the name. Cultivated in thin, high-altitude Himalayan air, it develops the delicate 'muscatel' flavour and floral aroma that earned it the title 'champagne of teas'. Each flush — first, second, monsoon and autumnal — has a distinct character, so it is sold as a premium specialty tea by harvest and estate rather than as a commodity.
Sourcing Darjeeling Tea from West Bengal
Darjeeling Tea holds a Geographical Indication, registered in 2004, which legally ties the name to its West Bengal origin. For an importer that means built-in provenance: the GI is a registered, defensible mark of authenticity that mass-produced imitations cannot lawfully carry, and a story buyers in premium markets increasingly pay for.
As an agricultural product, Darjeeling Tea ships against seasonal harvest windows, so forward planning and clear grading specifications matter. Reputable West Bengal suppliers handle moisture control, sorting and export-grade packaging, and can arrange the phytosanitary certificates and APEDA documentation that overseas food importers require.
Darjeeling Tea comes out of West Bengal in West Bengal, part of the East region's wider export base. MadeFromIndia maps the verified clusters behind it, benchmarks landed cost against rival origins, and handles introductions, sampling and quality oversight so you can move from shortlist to first order with confidence.
More GI-tagged agriculture
Turn this heritage into a sourcing plan
Darjeeling Tea sits inside a wider sourcing ecosystem — explore the cluster, sector and economics behind it.
Source authentic Darjeeling Tea from West Bengal.
We handle sourcing, QC, freight and documentation end-to-end. You stay focused on growing the brand.